Simply put, the shotgun is the weapon of choice, and I don’t just mean in zombie movies. Law enforcement have long used shotguns as a higher powered backup for their handguns. This is mainly because the shotgun is such a versatile weapon. In fact, a shotgun is so useful, especially to the urban survivalist, that you should probably already own one. Oh what’s that? You don’t have one yet? Well here are five good reasons to go out and get one:

1. Versatility: One of the main advantages of a shotgun is that it can house and fire so many different kinds of ammunition. Often, shotguns are loaded with a pellet shot that is used for hunting, and can take out birds and other small animals without destroying them or rendering them unable to be eaten. Additionally, higher powered and more lethal types of ammunition can also be loaded into a shotgun. On the other side of the spectrum there are non-lethal rounds, such as the beanbags used by riot police. Most of these types of rounds can be fired from other weapons, but only the shotgun offers the versatility to use them all.

In addition to versatility in ammo, shotguns are also modular, meaning you can remove and add on different components to customize them quite easily without the need to buy a whole new gun. A traditional stock can be replaced with a pistol handle, barrel lengths can be swapped out for different ranges and environments, etc.

2. Power: If you already own a gun, you probably have a feel for where a shotgun falls on the power scale. For reference, a shotgun has significantly more stopping power than a handgun, but less than a high powered rifle. These guns are able to easily stop a human and many animals in their tracks, and can be a much better and more effective defense tool than a handgun in many situations.

3. Price: Shotguns are cheap, that’s a big plus they have going for them. That means that upgrading your arsenal and getting started practicing with a shotgun is easy. An adequate model will only run you a few hundred dollars, and you can purchase them at many superstores (without the need to go into an actual gun shop).

4. Ease of Maintenance: Pump action shotguns are reliable and are cheap and easy to maintain. It is also easy to improvise cleaning supplies for most shotguns in a pinch, so there’s no need to spend a lot of time or money on maintenance.

5. Protection of Rights: Because shotguns are classified as a sporting weapon, they are generally the last to be affected (if at all) by gun control legislation. Our lawmakers are uncertain on the fate of guns right now, so it’s not a bad idea to have a shotgun on hand in case other firearms become outlawed in your area.

About Doomsday News

Doomsday News is a survival blog. We believe that being prepared is important for any family and we want to see preparedness become a mainstream conversation. We have a little fun too. Be sure to check out our facebook page.